"It sounds like a pretty attractive distraction..I mean, if they succeeded in taking out a nation's leader or two in the process by some fluke luck? But by the sounds of it, the attack was pretty much doomed to fail and they had to have known. It makes no sense to take on something like that without KNOWING that you'd succeed. The stakes are just too high."

She ponders a little. "Maybe I could go have a chat with them and see if I can get them to spill some beans and then catch up with you guys after. It shouldn't take too long, might even beat you to wherever we're going. She smiles enigmatically, though doesn't elaborate, figuring it obvious enough she has some abiilty that will let her go back and then catch up quickly.

Basically thinking of using her nosy journalist skills (plus attractive) to try and get one of the mercs who attacked the white house to spill their guts.

Gloom is a bit surprised how quick the newcomers try to get in charge. And how fast they call the attack doomed from the start and the villains b-list. He doubts the families of all the people Morticus alone murdered would agree.But in the end he decided to be a follower on this mission. First, he wasn't really a hero at heart and second, if they make a big mistake he doesn't want to be the one to blame and end in prison.

"That Dracula, or anyone else, might be behind the attack is only supposition at this point."

Nodded at Trissa's comment. "You, my dear, are exactly right. But we're all in the dark hear, just trying to guess what the end game is so we can *try* to put a stop to it. Besides, Apex doesn't think Dracula did it, we were labelled monsters long enough that he likes to think not all of them are bad."

He paused and thought about Valkyrie's statement. While it's true an interrogation might net them useful information, the likelihood of getting to see a prisoner who executed an attack against the President, on American soil was extremely low.

"I've got a source in the N.S.A., I am trying to get him to ping me and let me know if they got anything useful out of him. But honestly we're not going to know anything about the theft until we hit L.A."

"If sacred spaces are spared the ravages of war -- make all places sacred. And if the holy people are to be kept harmless from war -- make all peoples holy." -- Norrin Radd (Silver Surfer: Requiem; J. Michael Straczynski)

EPIC wrote:"It sounds like a pretty attractive distraction..I mean, if they succeeded in taking out a nation's leader or two in the process by some fluke luck? But by the sounds of it, the attack was pretty much doomed to fail and they had to have known. It makes no sense to take on something like that without KNOWING that you'd succeed. The stakes are just too high."

"That's assuming they were meant to succeed. I doubt their employer would tell them otherwise regardless of the true aim of the attack." Most of the team was making good points but the truth of it was, Trissa wasn't very good at the investigative side of heroing. Fortunately the others seemed to have more experience with it."I see no harm in questioning them. We're the Guardians, officially, as of today. We need to know what kind of cooperation that will get us. Now is a good time to find out."

"Questioning them can't hurt and you might be able to get them to let something slip.

"What you might all want to think about with the diversion theory is the timing. How much advance word was there about the New Guardians and when they would be having their first meeting? Would it be possible to hire a team and have them in place at the right time based on the public info?"

He looks up from his book and smiles his lop-sided smile.

"Because if it was a diversion and they didn't have time to set it up with the info given out publically, there's someone with inside info involved..."

Here comes the Dog!Stong and brave!Here comes the Dog!The day he will save!

"That is a good point, though it may not have been aimed specifically at the Guardians." Trissa looked back at the newcomer, Valkyrie. "I will accompany you to question the attackers. Shall we have Watcher drop us off before we get too far or do you have means of transporting me?"

Valkyrie smiles that her idea was being taken seriously and nods to Trissa. "And even better, won't leave you feeling like you've been punched in the stomach repeatedly. More like....freefalling, without the wind."

Leaving them to try and figure out what that must feel like, Valkyrie puts a hand on Trissa's shoulder assuming she doesn't stop her, and in a flash of pinkish-violet light, the two are gone.

To Trissa, it feels much like what Valkyrie described, and while exceedingly brief, seeing only a bright flash of light herself and the feeling of freefalling to get her adrenaline up, they stand back at the location of the recent battle. "I wasn't sure where to bring up, but I figured from here, some of the officers could tell us where the mercs were taken." she smiles apologetically to Trissa.

The clean-up crews, along with Secret Service agents, Hammond and the other metahuman bodyguards and the inevitable Homeland Security guys, are still swarming over the battlefield, jumping as the two heroines emerge from nothing. Within a split second, more than 30 weapons are aimed at you both before Hammond calls out, " Don't shoot! They're on our team." The leader of the metahuman contingent of bodyguards jogs towards you, his expression quizzical. " What is it? You arrived here at an...awkward time..."

Valkyrie wrote:"I wasn't sure where to bring up, but I figured from here, some of the officers could tell us where the mercs were taken."

Trissa took just a second to reorient herself to her surroundings. "A bit outside of the combat zone would have been better but it will do."

She turned to Hammand and the approaching bodyguards. "Our apologies. We weren't certain where the best place to arrive would be. This is Valkyrie, another of our team." She pointed to her young companion. "We have a need to determine the motive behind this attack and would like the question the prisoners."

" Then you're a few minutes late. They have already been transferred to the nearest prison that has anti-metahuman holding facilities. I can give you the adress, if you want", Hammond says, clearly very eager to help...and more than eager to get the heroes out of his face for the moment.You also notice some of Dracula's vampiric bodyguards still around, meaning that the King of Romania has not yet left.

Trissa was impressed with how quickly they'd gotten the attackers moved to a secure facility. She approached the entrance confidently, allowing Valkyrie to follow behind her, and questioned the first guard she saw. "I am Trissa and this is Valkyrie of the Guardians. We would like to interrogate the men who attacked the President and his guests."